2015 VINTAGE
There were good rains through to mid-January. It then remained cool
and dry through to harvest - ideal conditions for flavour development.
Moderate yields of perfectly healthy NOIR fruit were picked a touch earlier than average in late-March/early-April.

2015 TOLPUDDLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR
This wine is true to the Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir style: intensely aromatic balanced with savoury spice notes from whole bunch fermentation, along with purity of varietal expression, fresh acidity and firm tannins. The 2015 vintage is particularly concentrated, and has great potential for ageing.
The grapes were all hand-picked and fermented as a combination of whole berries and whole bunches, in open fermenters, with gentle plunging.
The wine was aged in French oak, of which about one third was new.
Ideal serving temperature: 16–18°C
Cellar potential: Will repay careful cellaring for 7–10 years

COAL RIVER VALLEY
Located about a 20 minute drive from Hobart, in Tasmania’s south-east, the Coal River Valley has established a reputation for growing exceptional quality grapes. With a climate that is at the cool extremes for viticulture, it is no surprise that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perform so splendidly.
An anomaly for such a cool climate is that the rainfall is significantly lower than many of Australia’s other cool climate regions, with an average of approximately 500mm of rain per year. This cool but relatively dry climate allows the grapes to ripen slowly in autumn, without the disease pressure that rain can bring, resulting in grapes of great aromatic intensity.

TOLPUDDLE VINEYARD
Planted in 1988 solely to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the vineyard takes it’s name from the Tolpuddle Martyrs, whose “reward” for starting England’s first agrarian union was to be transported to Tasmania as convicts.
The vineyard is north-east facing, and slopes gently up from Back Tea Tree Road. The soil is light silica sands over sandstone, and of moderate vigour, ensuring well-balanced vines. In 2006 Tolpuddle Vineyard won
the inaugural Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year award, reflecting the performance of this unique site. Owners Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW are fully committed to seeing it recognised as one of Australia’s great single vineyard sites

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